February Awards

Okay a month has passed since I started the reviews, so to celebrate I will have a little awards giving post. To celebrate the best of the best in this months comics.

Character of the month: Damian Wayne in Batman and Robin #20 mostly for the Mr. Potato head comment.

Team of the month: The Thunderbolts in Thunderbolts #153 as this team just keeps getting better each issue.

Cover of the month: Morning Glories #7 because, well, it made me feel warm and fuzzy. I love the colour and the halftone dots. I do not envy whoever had to colour those pom poms.

Story of the month: Heroes for Hire #3 The crimes this make shift team keep solving are really clever. Kudos to the writing team, proving themselves on a none space story for once! Also the Misty Knight story looks to be a great reveal when we find out Puppet master's big plan.

Art of the month: Mike Allred on iZombie #10 I'll get that out of the way and try not to pick my favorite artist again in future months. Just know that I love the retro ink look.

Surprise of the month: Would have to be the cliff hanger to The Flash #9 as it actually got me excited for Flashpoint.

Best single issue: The Amazing Spider-man #655 Great art and an unmissable story. Channeling the Kirby look. Dan Slott really is doing this book so many favours with the Big Time stuff.

Best over all title: Justice League: Generation Lost. It is so much better than it's sister title Brightest Day, and hopefully we'll get to see new Wonder Woman break Max's neck again. Seen as he already repeated history by killing Blue Beetle.

Crap of the month: Brightest Day #20. Just Aquaman. That is reason enough!

This months random award is... Spoiled Brat of the month: And goes to Chemical Kid in Adventure comics #20.

Here's to me keeping this up for another month. Someone beat me up if I don't, please?

X-men: To Serve and Protect #4

The last of the anthology mini series. I EFFING LOVE ANTHOLOGY COMICS!!! The break out story that was the first and only one to run through all four issues, the Anole and Rockslide story where they have been breaking out of Utopia for weeks and coming to mainland San Fransisco to fight petty crime. The art is amazing and the story is littered with funnies. The last three panels pretty much sum it all up:



Also this week Gambit hits on Hellcat in a bar and Dazzler takes on M.O.D.O.K. which also looks amazing, really underground comic feel to it.



Then newly amnesiac Hercules gets Psylocke into bed only to find out he's already shagged her and she slaps him in the face for not remembering, straight after saying she is unforgettable.



So weird and random, but in a week filled with three funerals I think I needed a bit of slapstick! Light hearted fun.

Secret Avengers #10

This is the only Avengers title I am currently buying, other than the UK reprints, and I really only picked it up because I've been following Eric O'Grady Antman from book to book. Needless to say I was hooked as it really is a great choice of team.
There's this group trying to resurrect Shang Chi's father by sacrificing him. This is the conclusive issue of the current story and Steve Rodgers and his black ops avengers team are sky diving in on the ceremony. There is a life model decoy of Nick Fury that is working with the bad guys as well as John Steel a super soldier from WWII like Steve Rodgers.
Apparently John Steele's bullet proof skin isn't strong enough to withstand a sword forged by Odin. Who knew!

(Bloomin' wonky panels ruining my scanning!)

They save the day and the Prince of Orphans (Never heard of him, apparently a hero though) stops the magic ceremony and then they evacuate. Steele ends up in the raft and Steve visits him to ask why he is working for the bad guys now. Apparently next issue is just a Steve and John war story, ugh, I want more kooky modern adventures not any more flash backs!

Power Man and Iron Fist #2

Iron Fist rescues our young Power Man from the crazy clown villain cliff hanger he was left on last issue. But the bad guys get away from them before the cops turn up. Nice to see Iron Fist flash his Super hero ID card, glad to see that the civil war event wasn't forgotten.
Then we find that Power Man hadn't told his parents he has Powers, and is going to performing art school, the one Dazzler founded (I do love geeky crossovers) He is getting his own apartment and loads of time out of the house, to be trained by Iron Fist. While at his class he meets an attractive young lady that by all comics cliches must be the vigilante Noir, he met and fell for last issue. She is super rich and obsessed with golden age super hero paraphernalia, and lets Victor know about an old auction of objects from the past. Vic recognises the mask that they were after.
Danny Rand meets with the Ceo of the company that crime-buster worked for. They were hiring super criminals to bring in criminals and pardoning their crimes, a kind of low budget Thunderbolts I guess. Danny and Joy are applying to be guests at the auction. Ran by two of the weirdest villains I've ever seen, Heart-club-diamond and Pokerface. A guy with a harpoon through one eye. Yeah. So naturally we end with a Lady Gaga joke, "Next issue: Bad Romance". Thanks for that. Personally I would have taken it out and gone with the classic villains eye patch look.

"I want these fricking sharks to have fricking laser beams on their fricking heads"

Morning Glories #7

I do love a good mystery story. Along the lines of mega mystery stories like Lost, only hopefully with a better pay off at the end! Morning Glories academy seems to have picked these students for a reason. Zoe is angry that Casey didn't let her in on the plan to break Bella out of the infirmary. Yet she told Hunter and Jun.

Now she's getting the plot. FOURTH WALL AAH!

She storms off and ends up chatting to a cheerleader and she is invited to join the squad only she has to answer three questions on a lie detector test. Which brings up some shocking things about her past, her step parents abused each other, she accidentally killed a teacher, and then on her final question she runs off. Who is David? Turns out the Cheerleader was asking the questions for the principal and Zoe kills her after exiting her office. Tit for Tat, gone over board. This issue seemingly did nothing to further the story other then suggest that killing is encouraged in this school. What the hell are they training them for? Why does Zoe not have her power anymore?
I worked out that the age of the characters is about 17/18 so I feel dirty when I look at the cover art. But I must say the cover art for this series is exceedingly strong and sets a really good feel for the book. I hope the story has a rewarding pay off, as there are a lot of questions being asked and not a lot of answers so far. Plenty of seeds being planted in the story though so fingers crossed.

Justice League: Generation Lost #20

Here it is, Max Lords origin. This better be good. It is every bit as dark as you'd want it to be. Hi father is framed for his own suicide, after finding out some dirt on a major corporation he works for, and trying to go public. His mother warns him to never underestimate powerful people, and to plan meticulously. Max shows a desire to be in control from early on in his life, creating a corporate empire. He tries to take over the company that killed his father only to have Lex Luthor beat him to it. His mother convinces him to go after the villains who own these companies via a different method which sees him form his own Justice League. Then something I didn't know: Max Lord got his mind control powers as part of a fall out from an Alien invasion. Huh, I always just assumed he had them from birth or something, never really thought about that, or read enough of the old international run. During the destruction of Coast city, he blames super powered people, good and evil, the problem for all the attacks and violence. He's angry because his mother lived in Coast city. Then he took control of the OMAC project and we know how that ended. He had his neck snapped by Wonder Woman. Then Returned recently as part of the Blackest Night and Brightest Day stories.
In the present day, it looks like Blue Beetle is actually dead, as the rest of the league arrive too late to save him. But he shoots the room the are in out of his secret lair. Yes you read that right. Then the underwater lair I pictured last time, actually flies off into space. Now they don't make secret bases like that anymore!



But they can't follow as they are trying to resuscitate Blue Beetle to avail. He's gone too. Does that make this the 3rd mourning issue of the week?

Fantastic Four #588

The second mourning issue as the avengers arrive too late to help and find Ben and the kids in tears as Johnny has made the ultimate sacrifice to save them all. The art choice made the sad moments feel a bit comical. Like wolverine and Thor's sad faces in these panels. Kinda ruined it for me.

WOLVERINE, SAD!

Still there are plenty of other ingenious ways to tug on those heart strings and open those tear ducts. Like Sue Storm putting up a force field so Ben can't touch her. Red opening the Negative zone to see Annihilus hold up a scrap of Johnny's shirt (I hope this means he actually died and wont be back too soon). The art choice again made Annihilus look a little too childish.
I would rather not see a character die and brought back in some ridiculous way. I prefer it when they just have them presumed dead and then return. I mean It's coming up to the 600th issue for crying out loud! So Fantastic Foundation starting next month will no doubt return to Fantastic Four Numbering for that. It could be a big enough milestone for Johnny's return. At the very least I hope that Hickman Keeps him dead till the end of his run as writer.
More sad moments as Dr. Doom attends the funeral and causes no trouble, Spidey consoles Franklyn, Valeria decides the next step is to kill Annihilus, and Hulk and Thor let Ben Grimm lash out at them in the desert to blow off some steam. We end this issue as Nathaniel Richards returns from the time stream.
Sadly I think knowing Johnny will no doubt return and that his "death" will only drive this new story forward, I feel kinda excited about what's to come rather than sad about what has happened. I think the Spier-man issue this month has won the best funeral award.

Detective Comics #874

Ah so that's what happened to it! When DC cut all of its back up stories, the Atom and Jimmy Olsen stories were advertised as getting finished in giant sized specials later in the year, whereas the Jim Gordon detective comics back up just vanished. But here it is. now taking of Detective comics.
First thing first, I aren't a big Batman fan, I just figured I would give the relaunched Batman inc. stuff a chance, but I never realised Jim Gordon had a son. It always confused me that Barbara Gordon never featured in the Dark Knight Nolan films instead of that young boy. Figured that would have been a more believable comic feature to take to the big screen.
Anyway on with the issue, again I am loving the art! What's with me this week? Not seen art I haven't loved yet. Oh and I am presuming James, Jim's son is a murderer and thats why no one wants to see him. So it's always best to open with a joke about killing someone when you finally get some face time with your dad!



It turns out he's been on the road to recovery and has being labeled a psychopath and has really useful medication. It seems to be working.
Second half of this book is a Batman story. Dick still full of the hallucinogenic drug has teamed up with Red Robin to chase down some gang trading endangered species. They put it down to being someone new and not a returning gang or criminal. Does that rule out James Gordon?
I kind of feel odd to say that I relate to James.. but getting your own back on bullies feels gooood.

Action Comics #898

I love Cornell's writing, and this series has been pure genius. Lex Luthor trying to track down the black lantern ring via these energy orb things left everywhere, whilst encountering all of DC's big bad's. This issue it's Larfleeze the orange lantern who's greed and power he had during the Blackest night story.
We find out that 4 of the remaining 5 spheres are now gathered in space together and the last one has been shooting around earth erratically. This is because Larfleeze has it in a construct it to keep it safe. Genius. Then he shows up and wants Luthor's machine for gathering the spheres power. Only Luther wants the Orange ring. FIGHT! A fight that ends with Larfleeze being flung into the sphere that Luthor acquired from the Joker last issue. Lex then seizes the sphere Larfleeze brought and converts it also. Then at the Antarctic station where one of the first spheres was found, Larfleeze bursts out. He wonders why Lex would want what is inside and says that even he doesn't want that. Which is a big deal for a being of such greed.
The cliff hanger in this issue is class as well. Turns out that robot Lois Lane, that Lex has had accompany him all this time, has been working for Brainiac. He seems to be the one whom has collected the last 4 together in space, as Lex is shuttling off to find them. This story gets better and better! The art is really to my liking, typically comic book and yet so stylised.



Brainiac is drawn almost identically to Lex. Apart from being green and having glowing pink holes in his head. Po-tay-to, po-tah-to. Next issue: Slap-heads will clash!

Amazing Spiderman #655

Beautiful cover. Spiderman is in mourning after failing to save Marla, J. Jonah Jamesons wife. This art direction inside is right up my street. It feels like an early Tim Sale style. Marcos Martin has done a stunning job here. Captures the mood of the issue brilliantly.
This is the first of two mourning issues this week, since we also have the Johnny Storm remembrance issue. This really hits all the right tear jerking moments. Jonah having to walk to the other side of the bed to stop the alarm clock. Peter cant face putting the Spiderman costume on below his suit for the funeral, and clearly feels responsible. The service looks to be taking part in St. Patrick's Cathedral and the grand architecture is so beautifully translated onto the page. The entire first half of the book is silent. Yet it says so much.
We then cut to Peter having trouble sleeping, dreaming about everyone else who he has failed to save. A really trippy dreamscape, more than a little Kirby-esque. Then during a double page spread of warped reality, buildings shooting up here and there, gravity not being what it seems, I spotted amongst all of the dead characters- the Spider-buggy. Yes apparently the Spider-buggy is in heaven too.



His dream really is the stuff of nightmares. Dan Slott really knows how to pick up the essential parts of Spider-man's exhaustingly long back story, and bring to the table the most relevant parts to really drive the story, and in this case Pete's nightmare. Even the way villains cant seem to stay dead is present in this dream, and it really doesn't feel like a joke when it's brought up.
When the dream is over Peter has decided he can no longer let anyone else die. Which is a shame as with the last two pages we are introduced to a hostage situation with a madman that has no regard for human life. I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Also the view from up above New York's skyline is amazing. The art and colours really are picture perfect all the way through. Retro and yet so crisp and modern.

Feb 23rd 2011

Howdy my comics shopping list this week include; Amazing Spider-Man #655, Action Comics #898, Detective Comics #874, Fantastic Four #588, Justice League: Generation Lost #20, Morning Glories #7, Power Girl #21, Power Man and Iron Fist #2, Secret Avengers #10 and X-Men: To Serve and Protect #4.

Other notable releases are New Mutants #22 which I've dropped while the age of x is going on. Seen as I buy most X-books in trades. Ooh and X-Factor: Happenings in Vegas PHC is out. Thats a consistently great book. Probably waiting for the paperback though.

Uncanny X-Force #5

I am glad that this started with random X-men backstory stuff. Fantomex is talking to the other weapon, Ultimaton, about "The World" where he was created. Time travels differently there, he grew to adulthood in a month, since they last visited a million years have passed in there. A million years of evolution. I loved this place when it first featured, I think it was in Grant Morrison's run. Just the idea that Weapon Plus made every character from Captain America, Wolverine, Deadpool and every government super soldier in between. All that and the world is in a tiny ball that Fantomex can fit in his pocket.
Deadpool acts really out of character. Getting all pissy that they killed the apocalypse kid, and then storming off.
More Fantomex, blasts from the past, when he's visiting his blind "mother" and they get attacked by Deathlok looking versions of the Avengers, that have come to get the world from him.

You can really tell he was a Grant Morrison creation!

His "mother" pays the ultimate price. Fantomex survives only to bump into deathlok. I'll admit as soon as I herd this was a Deathlok story I just wanted to gouge my eyes out. However I picked it up anyway and my God it was much better than I though. This is a nice turn around from the slightly dull Apocalypse start. I am glad the killed that child and I am so glad we get the old Fantomex stuff back even if we see the end of most of it this issue. I am genuinely looking forward to the next now.
Also that orange on blue logo looks mint.

Thuderbolts #153

I have been reading Thunderbolts since Norman Osborne too them over, I picked it up at first as I was following then new Eric O'Grady, Antman from book to book. Glad I stayed around after. This book just keeps getting better. I really love the changing cast and having Luke Cage in charge as well as Man-thing as transport.
I totally love this cover, I just get so sexually excited by halftone patterns.. and dinosaurs.
The start of this issue hints that Gunna, the girl raised by trolls and rescued on this new teams first mission could be the next member. Of course last issue we were left with Hyperion trying to kill the rest of his team and escape on his first mission out. I thought, well hoped there was more behind it then that because that seemed like a far too simple story. Also last issue when assigning tasks Luke Cage didn't think Ghost would be any good in this mission and just told him to sit it out, this time he ends up saving the day. Firstly by giving Moonstone and Songbird mouth to mouth resuscitation. Which was disgustingly brilliant.



Then he stops Hyperion using the nanites zapper thing all Thunderbolts are fitted with. Then he realises the giant sea creatures have barnacle like nanites of their own. So he makes Songbird sing at the right frequency to scare them away. I do love Ghost. Oh and next months tale looks like it's going to be a Man-thing centric one. Huzzah!

Spider-Girl #4

The art changed. I like the new style but it really sets an odd tone for the book compared to what had been set up already.
Kraven's daughter wanted to kill Spider-man only he tells her that she isn't good enough and that she must kill Spider-girl first.
She stops a burglar who then begs her not to, as he says he needs the money to pay his rent or his girlfriend will leave him etc. She punches him in the face. I figured she could have actually helped him rather than just go in fists a blazing. It's kinda the same conundrum that Superman faced recently where he let a polluting power plant stay open to keep an entire town in the jobs. Spider-girl isn't that deep. She just punches things.
The colourist gets things wrong. Anya isn't black, she's more hispanic/ italian (I dunno not sure of her back story) but she isn't that dark skinned. This issue Anya gets a new room mate. Who doesn't know she's Spider-girl. Plus her creepy-paedo neighbor tries to pay the girls a visit again. Kraven's girl, Ana, has tracked Anya via following guys she has had arrested and getting info, aquiring a piece of her bolo rope and even viewing a recorded fight with youtube addicted villainess Screwball. Eventually Anya lays a trap and Ana falls into it, we end with a fight about to go down. Plus we learn Spider-man shops in a Thrift store, the hipster douche!



I'm kidding I don't mind hipsters really. Very enjoyable book still, just not sure about the change of artist.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #6

This is the single weirdest yet series Marvel book I've read. Imhotep, Leonardo DaVinci, Galileo, Isaac Newton, Michelangelo, Nikola Tesla, Howard Stark and Nathaniel Richards all live on either immortal, time travelling, in hiding in an underground city below Rome, or trying to discover the mysteries of the universe. There is a tonne of hidden history like the Brood invading in ancient Egypt, and Galactus visiting pre-Fantastic Four. Shield is a society that looks after an actual shield in the immortal city. There is a war going on between Newton and DaVinci over two different philosophies.

Historically accurate!

We are following a young kid named Leonid as he is introduced to this bonkers world that I just cant get enough of. I really need to re-read this as it currently makes no sense in my head. This is the last issue of the first book/ chapter. It really is as crazy as it sounds. Yet it works so well. There is a special oversized issue out in May.

Legion of Superheroes #10

Mon El has recently become the 31st century Green Lantern, only now the readers voted him to be leader of the Legion as well. So until he gets back Brainiac 5 is in charge as deputy leader. Everyone character seems to think thats bad. He was actually the one I voted to be leader, when they did the readers poll a few issues back. Why wouldn't you want the super smart genius in charge? Sure he's a moody sod most of the time, and this is a future seemingly over-run by teenage angst. But c'mon Mon El is a Lantern at least give that a few stories first otherwise what was the point in getting a future Lantern?



He's already solved it! That's how it should be done.

I think this comic really suffered with the page count being cut to 20 with the "drawing the line at 2.99" thing. This used to be an oversized 30 pager every month. It needed it too. Large cast and a tonne of stories going on. Glad the Legion have also taken over Adventure comics too.

Doom Patrol #19

Apparently I picked a bad jumping on point. I crossed over from Secret Six which I only just started reading also. I don't have a clue who any of these characters are, pretty much. Then I find out that it gets cancelled with the next issue. Great.
Anyway as the second half of the Secret Six #30 story line, I am really starting to notice the similarities between the two groups. Kinda odd that they both have the humour/ cartoon character style member. Really reminds me of a toned down Morph from the Exiles run. Secret Six have Ragdoll and Doom Patrol have Ambush Bug.
My mate pointed out that there is a miss-credited speech bubble on page 6, were Deadshot enters the fray, he seems to be asking himself where he has been. Also told me that the beach house in it used to be a living street. I'm guessing that was from the Grant Morrison run as nobody else is mad enough to come up with that.
It felt a little bit too rushed being wrapped up story wise this issue. There was too much to fast and the reason to stop fighting each other was all to easily accepted. Although the volcano on the island was erupting so tbh I would have called it a day too.
Favorite panel, how do you fight a giant when you are also a giant? Get more gianterer! (not a hundred percent sure thats a real word)

Deadpool Max #5

I have the same mixed feelings as always with this title. I love the art thought, it's so different to the usual comic stuff. Maybe a few too many photo backgrounds being used. This issue has more humour than previous ones. Or at least I found it funnier. One thing I didn't get though, is Wade was given a backstory with the female Taskmaster. Are the Max titles in their own universe? I swear the only thing that made Wade turn crazy and into Deadpool was the time in the Weapon X dead pool place. I remember reading that origin story. Not him as a boy scout being tortured by lady Taskmaster.



Oh and the ad in the back for next months issue has Domino jumping through a window while wearing a baby harness with Baby Deadpool in. Looks amazing!

Brightest Day #20

So apparently the ring opened the Bermuda triangle to let the bad guys out and see how Aquaman coped. This white ring is a douche basically. Armless Aquaman doesn't even die, as Aqualad stops his evil dad from killing him. Shame. Then Mera and Aquagirl roll up to help the fight. So Mera controls the entire ocean and gets a nosebleed, poor girl, that chucks all the baddies out to sea. Then Aquaman gets an army of dead sea creatures to fight them back into the bermuda triangle. They do so and just as Aquaman is wrapping up the story with a lovely message about how they will never be alone because they have each other. The white ring says that he accomplished his mission and zaps him away. Same way the hawks went only they were said to be dead and not that they accomplished the mission.

YAY!

It's at this point I realised there was only Aquaman in this issue. I hate that. But next time it's Mars attacks, where I expect Martian Manhunter completes some kind of life lesson from the ring and then gets zapped away by white light too. Just a guess but this has become really formulaic.
Also note: what are essentially 3 double splash pages, and 2 single ones, with little other content, is WAY too many in a 20 page comic.

Batman #707

I find it really unusual for one guy to do art and writing duties on a main character title. This story has been pretty dull compared to the recent Batman inc. overhall. This is why I didn't read Batman comics before Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne were the caped crusaders. It's all the same story. Big business espionage with ninja's. That is over done in Batman. Although in a way this does feel like textbook Batman story telling.
A new vigilante and her brother are trying to stop some Sensei guy getting a God mask. They do so. The end.

Open your eyes, maybe you'll see.

Sorry could'nt resist the Pilgrim reference!

We also get hints that the vigilante, Peacock, will be back again and as a love interest for Dick. Oh and the last two pages are an unrelated Riddler and Daughter story where it is hinted at a female Two-face villain, as the next story has the Judgement of Gotham.

Amazing Spider-Man #654.1

I do not get the whole point of the .1 issues. They aren't really an introduction for new readers, they seem to serve as a way to get comics readers to pick up titles they've maybe wanted for a while as a jumping on point (even though the start of any story arc usually suffices when I pick up a new title), or maybe for people who used to read comics and wanted to again. You couldn't really pick up this one issue and get Spidey's back story and recent issues in catch up form.
First major action with the new Venom. Flash Thompson makes for a pretty adorable James Bond style action hero while on this Venom mission, I thoroughly cannot wait for the new Venom solo series. He completes his first of 20 missions. The people who take his suit off in the Lab have a dog that has a "good judge of character" to help check all the venom is removed haha! All I can think is that when the Venom takes him over is that he's going to eat it. There was a pretty heartbreaking moment when Betty comes home crying and Flash falls over trying to stand up, he says he forgot he had no legs but you can tell it's because he was used to using the Symbiote and walking on his recent mission.
Again Peter seems to be opening up to MJ instead of Carlie and I don't want him to end up with MJ again or have a love triangle. Carlie is really under used!
On Venoms second mission he shouts geronimo as he jumps from the jet, I just realised I totally associate that word with Doctor Who now. There are a fair few funny moments even when Flash Venom's-out. He is accused of being a cannibal so he spits up the hand he just bit off and says it doesn't count as he didn't swallow. But when he is in control it's definitely the Star Wars reference that does it for me:



The there is the Coming up soon section. With the return of Mr Negative and Anti-Venom, more Avengers action, Hobgoblin snogging his crush, The Sinister Six lead by the even more robotic 8 armed Dr Octopuss, more team ups with Black Cat and New Venom. Most worryingly though is what looks like Mary Jane Wall Crawling and saying "Peter, what have you done to me?" That looks like a stupid story waiting to happen. I just want Mary Jane to go away. She's in this comic more than Pete's current girlfriend!

Feb 16th 2011

Howdy this weeks comic reviews and funnies include Amazing Spiderman #654.1, Batman #707, Brightest Day #20, Deadpool Max #5, Doom Patrol #19, Legion of Superheroes #10, Shield #6, Spider Girl #4, Thunderbolts #153 and Uncanny X-Force #5.
I noticed some of the recent posts seem a little forced so if I have nothing good or bad to say about an issue or if there are no funny or cool panels to point out I may just skip that review and go onto the next.
Reviews will be up in the next few days.

Power Girl #20

I usually despise this character. She does nothing for female characters in comics, but this art really does change that, slightly. This is the least sexualised the character has been depicted ever. Kinda works better. I've only picked up a couple of the recent issues due to the Generation Lost tie-ins.
She's breaking into Cadmus labs and battling through clone after clone of random creatures only to be attacked by a clone of Krypto the Super dog. Only he doesn't want to fight he just wants to play.



This ends up being the prequel to her attack on the Generation lost, Justice League in #18 of it's run. Max Lord starts his mind control over her at the end of this issue.

New York Five #1

I never read New York Four, although I am fairly familiar with the set-up of the story and I am very glad it got a sequel after so long. The artwork is one of the main reasons I picked this up. Ryan Kelly does an amazing job with this.



The story is about the 5 girls starting their second semester at NYU and picks up where the first left off. Seemingly doing what everyone thinks you have to do stereotypically to live in New York. Essentially just coming off a bit too hipster for my liking- The bands, dress sense and attitudes. But over all an enjoyable start. I really want to get a hold of the first book now though.

Li'l Depressed Boy #1

Apparently it was a web series before image put this to print. I really love the art style and the colouring. About a little cartoon boy in the real world. He's down on his luck, shy and depressed (obviously). But his best mate Drew picks him up and he ends up meeting his perfect girl. I'm really intrigued as to the over all story and where this goes. Only problem I have is the pacing is a bit off as it was once a web-comic and will have several strips pushed together to get a books worth out of it. The goofy romance really does play on your heart strings as the often wordless panels say more without words than with:




I do love the character design also. A kind of emo mashing of Madman and Jack Skellington.

Deadpool Max #3

This title is so weird. From the stories to the art. The art changes about 10 times an issue and the colours are often zany as hell. The humour is often a little too childish for a max title. Bob climbing through sewage and Jew jokes etc. But the sheer strangness of this in one package often hits it just perfect and it makes for a pretty fun read.
This issue is about Baron Zemo, a WWII nazi bad guy and a Jew conspiracy theorist has set up a white village. So of course the corrupt Jew controlled government sends in Deadpool and Bob his agent, who is supposed to keep a check on him. Here he is exiting a plane in style:

Amazing Spider-Man #653

The missing gap in my recent spider reads. Again this issue has great art. Semi stylised really seems to suit the Spider-man humour.
We see Spider-man fighting the Scorpion whilst on a spaceship rocketing away from earth. When I say on I mean on the outside, not as passengers on board. So yeah.. really testing his wall crawling ability. Also laugh at how bizarre a phone conversation, from said rocket is, when Squirrel girl from the Avengers mansion picks up. THIS IS WHY I LOVE COMICS!
Turns out Doc Ock has a small Octo-bot on the shuttle and fixes it from the inside, because he doesn't want the head Spider Slayer destroying his plans for the incomplete Octohedral?! Techno babble I know, but I guess thats an up-coming story arc.
Oh and then Squirrel Girl actually pulls through and gets the Avengers help, and Spider-man is saved from a 7 mile free fall to earth:

Random Missed Issues

Right I've missed buying a few issues recently so you can find their reviews now. Amazing Spider-man #653, Deadpool Max #3, Li'l Depressed Boy #1, New York 5 #1 and Power Girl #20.

Superman #708

The Grounded storyline plods along, as Superman walks the length of America to help people. Yeah sounds amazingly interesting. After a series of mostly self contained stories we get a breath of fresh air as we are introduced to the fortress of solidarity. A place where all the Supermen of multiple times and earths can come and be together. The first interesting thing to happen since this story started. It feels as awe inspiring to me as it does to Superman in the book. My favorite example of just how many people have taken up the Superman mantle or heritage is this panel.



Then the second half of the book is Superman being sent to a flood and tornado disaster, to help inspire the newly messed up backstory, Wonder Woman. Why just why did she need to forget who she was and go and become a warrior instead of a hero? Her story makes no sense. I hope it's something to do with Max Lord being back- seen as she killed him the first time.

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #7

This is the only GL book I am reading. So God knows how I'm going to follow the War of the Green Lanterns, that this is down as a prelude to. As for the story so far, a really enjoyable Guy Gardener book (it doesn't feel right to type that). He has enlisted Kilowog, Arisia and red lantern Bleez to search the uncharted territories of space and find what power source is draining their rings power.
It was just Guy and Bleez up against a telepathic alien warlord, who was taking over GL Sodam Yat's mind to be used as a weapon and giving him all the stolen ring power. Eventually when it's too late Killowog and Arisia come back to help Guy.
WTF moment, Guy has Bleez release his inner Red Lantern rage to escape from the belly of a snake:

Power Man and Iron Fist #1

The Powerman tie-in to lack-luster event Shadowland, was the only one I read. Not even picking up the main series, just the tie in as it was recommendation. It introduced a new Powerman and ended with Iron Fist deciding to train him. Now I also love a bit of Iron Fist, having read the entire last run. So I am glad to see the return of both characters in a retro book twist.
A strange start. Trouble between Master and student, lots of racist jokes from the black Power Man. Not wanting to call Iron Fist master as it's racist. A villain whom was depicted with nothing but solid black ink, and the following dialogue "Protect your people" "What, you black under all that too?" "No I am Noir!" So yeah if the Black jokes keep up this street language and stuff could get boring. Other than that the two of them start a case to find out who really killed Crime-buster, as Jennie Royce (The old Power Man and Iron Fist's manager) is locked up in Rykers prison, framed as a murderer.
My favorite Villain panel of the week:

Knight and Squire #5

I find myself buying this purely to support Paul Cornell. I've loved everything he's done. Especially super heroes. Especially British heroes, Captain Britain and MI 13 anyone? I've got the entire run signed. This however, is a faux British mickey take. It has it's moments, but the last thing we need is more Americans thinking Brit's are ACTUALLY like this! I have never had tea with the queen. We don't all have milkmen. I don't constantly use words like toodle pip and I barely know anyone who has ever worn a top hat. In fact when I was over in the states, visiting New York, NOBODY could place my accent. Plus there are places other than London.
People say that it's fine seen as Paul Cornell is British, but it's not helping. Clearly this version of Britain is set in stone now in the DC universe. As the Batman inc. stories will no doubt return to them. I don't think other countries were so absorbed in their stereotypes?



Anyway rant over. The art is pretty sweet in each issue. Story wise we have an interesting twist as the actual Joker wants the terminally ill Jarvis Poker the British Joker as his sidekick for some massive prank in Newcastle. God knows where this is going. Cant wait till Cornell gets put on some other title instead.

Justice League: Generation Lost #19

The far superior bi-weekly Brightest Day title. Max Lord tells the captured Blue Beetle, that he's being manipulating them into helping him get control of check mate. Last issue Power Girl joined the team, and we found out that being with people who forget or remember will make you do the same. This time Power Girl leaves to go tell the other Justice League. I guess it's hard balancing her story between this book and her own title. The comic relief is still coming from the new Red Rocket and his crazy Russian that doesn't understand English still. The ending was a total bummer. I knew Beetle was going to die because it's on the cover. But I really loved that costume design and character. It could however (I'm hoping) have just being a Max Lord mind trick!
Also this issue features the most over the top secret lair ever: Note the Red Rocket dialogue also!

Heroes for Hire #3

This series has had a cracking start. The ways the criminals deal are getting weirder but they seem so embedded in the Marvel universe that it just works. Incredibly inventive writing. The Atlantean drugs being dealt last issue and this issue Puppet Master who is controlling Misty Knight, gets Moon Knight and Paladin, who figured out last week that it isn't Misty on the other end of the Heroes for Hire headset. Moon Knight infiltrates a club that has being trafficking girls... from the Savage Land! Yes cave girls are the currency in this club. Or as Moon Knight puts it so delicately:



Not to mention learning the hard way that they are also transporting dinosaurs out of the Savage Land for illegal fighting. Also Paladin has been watching people who know Misty to find out where she is, and ends up recruiting Iron Fist to his own Heroes for Hire outfit. Looks like it wont be long till Puppet Master and his real plan is outed.

Flash #9

The Road to FLASHPOINT! Now crazy stuff has being happening with DC comics for a while. Like Wonder Woman's re-imagining and Bruce being flung through time. Seems all the crazy things are happening because of a single massive time anomaly. Which was probably started by the Reverse Flash who was recently broken out from a high tech prison.
I've been reading Flash comics since the start of this series, but also a number of Rogues, event tie-in titles. People have complained about everything to do with this series, but I've been enjoying it thoroughly. I do love time travel stories. This issue sees the Elongated Kid go from being a 16 year old boy to a dead 90 year old. Possible start of the Flashpoint time manipulation? But the last panel in this really does set up Flashpoint in a big way. That chap on the bike whom we're all sick of seeing in previews, finally has his identity revealed. *Spoiler alert* It's also Barry Allen!



I cant wait for the Flashpoint stuff to start now. No way in hell will I be picking up all the titles but I'm still pretty effing excited!

Farscape #16

I was always a fan of the show and I was craving new stories for ages. I've been reading these from the start of the mini series (even though the stories carry on through each) and into the ongoing title. I am so glad this has lasted. Plus one of my favorite artists from the earlier mini series has been doing the ongoing from the start. Will Sliney has a great graphic style.
As for story I believe it is the original series creator who is writing or at least plotting. So what we are getting here is a Buffy series 8 style continuation.
The current tale is spanning everything in the Farscape universe in an event called the War for the Uncharted Territories. About the gang rallying the galaxy against and an unknown super advanced race called the Kkore. It has introduced a bounty hunter named Roiin, whom Chianna has fallen for. It's every bit as fun and enjoyable as the series is.
This issue amps it up some more. Scorpius who has been working with the Kkore for several issues now including his own spin-off, has escaped and teamed up prisoner Rygel who he helped escape. Looks like Roiin and Chianna are going to rendé vous with the others. Plus a rygel flashback featuring long deceased Zhaan, praying and talking about the Kkore, has revealed a weakness in their plans. Scorpius could well be the saviour of the galaxy! We've already witnessed several major characters from the show die, I wonder who will live to the end of this event?
Below Chriton explains the reason they are loosing with some classic, bonkers, Farscape dialogue.

Batman and Robin #20

I've been reading all the bat titles since the convoluted way they brought Bruce back. When it was just Bruce as Batman the stories were pretty dull and same-y. You got some amazing stories still. Just not as fun or enjoyable as they have become now. The whole Batman inc. idea is a breath of fresh air. I only wish I had started reading this title in particular a lot earlier in the run. The dynamic between Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne makes for some hilarious banter. Let's face it, Bruce never quipped.
One part in particular had Damian refer to a deceased person as Potato Head. After being told off he said "sorry, Mr. Potato Head" That was nearly my favorite panel but instead I had to go with the entire Bat-family reclining to watch the Mask of Zorro on a new 70" screen. Alfred's face and milkshake is priceless!



A promising start to a new arc involving a fallen angel death.

Amazing Spider-Man #654

Hmm I'm going to do this issue and then read the previous one when I get it through the post. So this might not make complete sense to me. Okay I've been reading Spidey for years and although I didn't agree with the way Peter and Mary's marriage ended, I am so glad it did. The stories are getting progressively better since One more day. Big time is a genius idea of having Pete work at Horizon labs and get a massive pay check for doing so. He is finally recognised as a scientist and has enough money to fund his Spidey exploits. I always thought Pete should have a nerdier girlfriend and not a super model wife. It just fits better.
I love how the twice monthly gives the ensemble cast and writing the feel of major network tv series. Not to forget how much it has being drawing on its 600+ issues of history. Pulling characters out of the woodwork and reminding us of their origins. Like Jonah's wife knowing how to reprogram Spider Slayers as she was introduced as a scientist building them back in #167. This issue also pulls off a flawless team up with the New Avengers whilst still keeping Spidey in centre stage. We get more development of the good Goblin gone bad, who tries to kill his dream girls, man-crush. Jonah's character development over the last hundred issues has being monumental for such a small character! This issue tops it all though.
There is just so much going on and it's all timed and revealed perfectly. Really clever story telling. Just when you think Peter's boss Max Modell has figured out his alter ego you find that he only thinks Peter works for Spidey and then helps him finish his latest Spider gadget!



The artwork is just great. It feels more like movie story boards.
Plus the Venom prequel back-up story comes to it's end as we see Flash in the costume for the first time. This back-up is almost as good as the main story. The major revelation been that there was someone in the armoured up suit before Flash and it killed him. Plus he can only do 20 missions wearing the suit to avoid being trapped in it forever. Favorite panel below!

Adventure Comics #523

I've been picking this title up since the legion stories started, plus I've been reading Legion stories since the Legion of three worlds Final Crisis tie-in. It feels right, that the massive ensemble cast of the Legion of super heroes features in this and their own ongoing. There's enough stories and characters for a start. But that begs the question, who looked at the Legion of super heroes and though "Hmm they could do with some more characters!" because thats exactly what happened here. I think this class featured in a recent back up in the main Legion comic. Back before they "drew the line at 2.99" and also chopped a large amount of pages too.
We start following a new group of recruits through legion academy. One of who is lucky enough to be given a back story the rest get summed up as always, through the name intro boxes. I had to re-read the first few pages several times as I was unfamiliar with the characters and wasn't sure exactly who was joining the team, and who it was thinking via the narration boxes. The hero Glorith is a way of introducing new readers to the massive world of Metro city, with a pair of fresh eyes. It feels pretty forced most of the time. My favorite character Chemical Kid is a spoiled brat who's daddy pays for everything for him. He's a massive anti hero and you could see him either having a nice road to redemption and team building or just outright becoming a villain.



The bulk of story this month is Chemical Kid leads the new recruits to break into a bar and pays for a bunch of booze on his Daddy's credit card. They get punished by their Legion teacher with an impossible task which Chemical Kid beats. They then go out to loot the store (but still pay?) only to get busted by the police. Nice touch. It took a while to get the story going but it was an alright story in the end.



Note: If there is still no medical way to get rid of a hang over in 1000 years time then I have no hope for future of the human race.

Feb 9th 2011

Howdy, this is the second consecutive week! I've actually managed to keep something going that I've said I was going to do. Wow I've amazed my lazy self.

This weeks pull list includes: Adventure Comics #523, Amazing Spiderman #654, Batman and Robin #20, Farscape #16, Flash #9, Heores for Hire #3 Justice League: Generation Lost #19, Knight and Squire #5, Powerman and Iron Fist #1 and Superman #708. So loads to get through! Yay! I'll read a few now and start posting reviews in the morning.

Was pretty tempted by Lil' Depressed Boy #1 and the Spongebob first issue (mainly due to Kochalka and Annable's contributions)

Also: I ordered Amazing Spiderman #653, Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #7, New York Five #2, Power Girl #20 and Deadpool Max #3. All stuff that I missed or forgot to pick up, sooo when I've read them, and if they are startling or fun enough, then they will make their way onto the blog as well.

Supergirl #60

I've only being reading this since superman left Metropolis to go on his pointless walkabout and Supergirl has being left in charge. Although the stories haven't been stellar they have been enjoyable. This time we start with a pretty flawed if intriguing plot. Seems like some kid genius has created an ipod app that allows you to report where each superhero is through a spotting and video interface. He's done this cos he thinks that when aliens come to earth they should be allowed to take over so that we become more technically advanced. He wants the heroes gone so there is nothing in their way. So super villains are using the app too to find and attack the heroes. The dumb part is what do you do when there are only villains left? How is that any better?
Favorite panels this issue include someone jumping off a building to be caught by Supergirl and try to get her number haha! This is great because if heroes were real, you just know that people would try it!



Also Supergirl has a bit of a DERP face going on.

Superboy #4

Another comic early in it's run. So far running entirely on comic book cliches. Some nice story seeds planted early. Psionic lad from the future, but not the Legion future! (Yes apparently other times in-between actually exist as well!) Science Police from the future run like hell after Superboy's sidekick Simon enters the room. Could be someone important in the future!



Lori found out Superboy's secret identity last issue, although he doesn't know yet, and thier relationship seems pretty forced this issue. The cliff hanger is that Psionic lad lied about why he came back and plans to kill Superboy, yes another comic story cliche. How many times can Superboy be lied to and believe it?! Despite it's flaws this is still an enjoyable book. Lemire seems to tell stories better when he's doing art as well.

Spidergirl #3

I have heard good things about Tobin's writing on the Adventure line. So I'm glad he's writing a story I feel like I can pick up now. Spidergirl is already in my good books for a number of reasons. They dare to kill off her father so early into the run. They have rooted her stories deep into the Marvel universe already, by giving her a history with the Fantastic Four, Spiderman and a long team up with the Red Hulk. The tweeting thought boxes are very clever. Plus you can follow Spidergirl on actual twitter, done by Tobin and usually full of teasers the day before release.
My favorite panels this week are a little sequence after the Red Hulk has landed on someone's roof. Just the little cut-away to the interior put a smile on my face.

Secret Six #30

I jumped onto this title after the Lex in Action Comics cross over, and now we are straight into a Doom Patrol cross over. Gives me an excuse to start reading two series I've been wanting to hop onto for some time. Gail Simone's writing is so packed with gags and humour that it just seems like she's having a fun time writing this. Favorite panels below, made me lol out loud.
I'm sure I'll appreciate the book more once I'm used to the characters more.

iZombie #10

I love this book and I am a massive fan of Mike Allreds work. This whole story suits his style so perfectly. There are so many seeds of plot been planted and so much rapid character development that it feels more like the scripting of a major TV series. Not to mention just how many of the characters seem to be interlinked via backstories. Seems like everything is happening for a reason. The most recent arc sees Gwen a teen zombie eat the brains of someone who knew her when she was alive. So she's hopped straight on the case to silence the memories she's absorbed and find out more about her past life.
My favorite panel this issue is of Groovy ghost, Ellie, using her newly learnt possession powers to scare Spot the gay, were-terrier by making some business chap come onto him. Classic prank there!

Brightest Day #19

After the Hawks seemingly die again, Boston Brand gets some half-arsed reason from the white lantern ring, that it is all part of the plan. Then onto the Aqua War story that I couldn't care less about. The whole Brightest Day story is just so forced and the characters are so dull. So when you see them die, you kinda get a kick out of it. Like bellow I am rooting for Black Manta to kill Aquaman. Just because.

Batman Beyond #2

I really love the cover art, considering the other cover art Nguyen did for the Superman 80pg giant this week looks like a completely different style. Interiors art is stylised if a little messy. Suits the story well.
I'm not really up to date with the Batman Beyond future, other than reading the previous mini series. So far we have seen an ex-cop become the new Matter Master, who is now holding a mall hostage, which just so happens to have some of Terry McGinnis' family in. The Justice League Beyond have been introduced. I aren't sure if the future League have ever been seen before now? Most of this issue was Bruce telling McGinnis how to beat up the league. Was pretty funny if you like bald lanterns getting slapped in the face comedically.

Feb 2nd 2011

Howdy. This weeks pull list was: Batman Beyond #2, Brightest Day #19, iZombie #10, Secret Six #30, Spider Girl #3, Superboy #4, Supergirl #60 and Superman 80 page giant 2011. Not a huge pile this week. Wanted to get Amazing Spiderman too, but my store had ran out, boo!